1. shimmer (a taylor swift au)

-prologue-

"So," Taylor was sitting with her knees up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them tightly. "I guess this is the end of the line." She looked over at the man who had kept her warm for the past seven years and smiled. "You know, I really thought we'd make it."
The man shook his head, putting his face in the palm of his hands. "I'm sorry we didn't." He paused. "I'm really sorry that this is how it all worked out."
"Me too," She admitted. "Sometimes you can love someone so much, but it just... it's not enough. Sometimes life gets in the way. I just hoped it wouldn't be like that this time." Life always got in the way. Every time. Every single love, even the one she thought couldn't be taken from her. Eventually, it was, just like always. Because here they were, sitting on the couch at the end of the night, on opposite sides, boxes in cars and empty shelves. One less toothbrush, empty closets, one less coffee mug, his aftershave gone - piled into a bag somewhere. One less of everything important. Most importantly, an empty chair at the table.
"I love you," He finally looked up at her, and Taylor felt herself crack. This was the first moment it truly felt like it was coming to an end. It was the first moment where it felt like maybe she was going to sleep in an empty bed. He knew it too, the way his face was forlorn and eyebrows were knotted together gave it away.

They were both pretending that this wasn't the most complicated thing they'd ever had to do. Seven years came down to this moment.
"I love you," Her voice cracked. It all came down to this. This moment. In her cat pyjamas. Her cold feet, because she didn't want to move just in case she fell apart.
"Good luck with the tour... with everything."

It was that moment she'd always been afraid of. The moment where they became strangers. Pictures on screens, history. Memories. The part where they became the past, not the present. The part where she had to message his brother and let him know that she understood if he didn't reach out. The part where she had to face it. The worst part about it? They were ghosts that still loved each other. Ghosts that didn't want it to end this way but they'd been left with no choice. Love isn't always enough to carry a relationship, and both of them knew that. They'd tried and tried and tried but it was at the point where they needed to be set free.
"What about..." Taylor bit her lip. "What about Benji?" It was soul-shattering. It was an ache that she didn't think she'd have to feel again... but here she was, right in the thick of it. The thick of the moment she never thought she'd be in.

The man stood up, sighing. "He'll stay here, with his sisters, with his Mum. In his home."
She'd never expected that Benji would be her cat, not theirs. It had been their home. But now it was just hers. Now, they'd never share a home ever again.
"Well," He whispered, glancing over at the final bags that were waiting by the door. "I'd better get going."
She wanted to say that he could stay, that maybe if they talked it through, they'd work it out. But she knew it wouldn't work. Knew that this was the right decision even though it hurt. Knew that in a few years, this might be one of the best decisions she could have ever made. It didn't feel like that now, but of course, she'd get through it. She just... really hoped that this time would have been different.
Taylor wanted to ask him whether he even knew where he was going, wanted to ask him to stay. Wanted to cry and scream and smile all at the same time.
"What will I do without you?" She finally stood up, surprised that she didn't fall apart.
He gave a sad smile. "You'll be just fine, Taylor. You've still got a whole life ahead of you, but it was a privilege getting to spend this part of it with you."
She looked down at the floor, walking him over to the door.

And just like that, they really were strangers. They'd been strangers before, and here they were, strangers once more.